England v Zimbabwe - live!

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Preamble Hello. It only feels like yesterday that I was declaring how Twenty20 was less of a leveller than we thought. Then Zimbabwe beat Australia. While this news should leave every Englishman with a warm glow of schadenfreude, it does in fact rather complicate matters. Because even if England beat Zimbabwe today - and, after yesterday, it's an if rather than a when - then they will still need to avoid defeat to Australia tomorrow to prevent Group B being decided on net run-rate. And that means that a slender victory here might not be enough, always working on the assumption that a wounded Australian team are the most dangerous proposition on the cricketing planet (5-0 anyone?). I haven't been this up for an England-Zimbabwe match since Bumble Lloyd's boys flippin murdered em in 1996.

More guff Bangladesh are about to knock West Indies out of the competition - how long ago now does Chris Gayle's century feel? - but because that game has over-run, Sky are showing it instead of going live to Cape Town for Ian Botham's pitch report. The bad news for England is another injury worry. The good news is that the injured man is assistant coach Andy Flower. He was stretchered off the outfield with a suspected Achilles tendon injury picked up while playing touch rugby.

West Indies are out They have been beaten by Bangladesh by six wickets with 12 balls to spare, which is an absolute thrashing. Mohammad Ashraful dusted off some of his World Cup paddles over fine leg to make 61 off 27 balls and Syed Rasel returned figures of 4-1-10-1. Does it count as a surprise? I'm not sure it does. "Surely the Zims deserved a decent celebration last night," points out cricket expert Gary Naylor. "Any cricketer who has been On Tour knows that after an unexpected ultra-tense win, half the team will be still in bed and the other half won't have been to bed. This should be a cakewalk for England - shouldn't it?" Have you learned nothing from yesterday?

Right, now for the proper stuff... Elton Chigumbura will open the bowling for Zimbabwe.

1st over: England 3-0 (Maddy 2, Prior 1) Darren Maddy's first international run for more than seven years is a thick outside edge for a single off Chigumbura's opening delivery. Well, no one said this was a glamorous game. That was a very tidy first over: just three singles off it and Matt Prior's already struggling to get the ball off the square. "Any chance we could have a minute's silence for the death of cricket at Warwickshire please?" says Andy Bradshaw, completely misreading the mood.

2nd over: England 16-0 (Maddy 10, Prior 6) Maddy carves Gary "David" Brent's first ball over point, but this is a very slow outfield - it rained again in Cape Town last night - and they take three. Prior smears the third delivery behind backward square for the first four of the innings, then nibbles a single to third man. And there's a great shot by Maddy - a rasping square-cut for four. And then pulls for a single next ball and is almost caught at square-leg. "The only thing that slightly irked Zimbabwe's utterly wonderful win yesterday is that I didn't put a bet on a 40-1," says the narcissistic Rich Rowe. "I had a tenner burning a hole in my pocket that I oh-so-nearly placed on it." That's a sickener.

WICKET! Maddy c Matsikenyeri b Chigumbura 14 (20-1) Maddy tries to lift Chigumbura over the off-side infield but can only pick out Stuart Matsikenyeri at extra cover. First blood to Zimbabwe. "Did you know that Maddy Prior is a folk singer Mr Booth?" asks Les Walke in Sweden. "She was in Steeleye Span you know. "Steeleye Who?" I see you ask. Sorry, I forgot you were a young whippersnapper." WICKET! Wright c Taylor b Chigumbura 0 (20-2) Chigumbura is on a hat-trick as Luke Wright flashes wildly at his first ball and nicks it through to Brendan Taylor. Sensational!

4th over: England 28-2 (Prior 13, Pietersen 1) On comes Tawanda Mupariwa in place of Brent, whose first over cost 13, and Prior helps his first ball to backward square for his second boundary. England can't afford to lose another quick wicket now, otherwise they'll be in Australia territory: they were 19 for 3 at one point yesterday. "The bloke sat behind me at work says it's not surprising Snape isn't playing because, and I'm not sure I understand this, he got killed by some bloke called Voldemort," quips Andy Smith. "I think he's one of the South African players but I can't be sure. Why hasn't this been on the news?" You old jester, you.

5th over: England 45-2 (Prior 14, Pietersen 16) Pietersen whips Chigumbura over midwicket, but again the snail-slow outfield limits the batsmen to three. Prior takes a single, before KP tries something off one knee over the off-side. It just clears deep extra, then plugs in the outfield: two runs. The next ball is flayed over backward point for four and the fifth pulled for four more. Twenty20 specialists? Who needs em? Chigumbura then slips one so far outside off-stump that Asad Rauf has little option but to stretch the old armsand the final legitimate delivery is hoicked over midwicket for two: 17 off the over. "What a performance by Zimbabwe last night," says Ben Mimmack, who is about 18 hours behind the rest of us. "It's actually left me pretty embarrased because I told my housemate that Zimbabwe had lost after they went off in the 12th over and were behind on D/L. I only found out this morning that they won. If you're reading, sorry Will."

WICKET! Prior c [Man at long-on] b Mupariwa 20 (51-3) Prior brings up England's 50 with a mow over midwicket for six, then goes for broke again. This time, alas, he picks out long-on.

6th over: England 59-3 (Pietersen 23, Collingwood 1) Paul Collingwood has just told viewers that his favourite shot is "the nurdle off the pads". You've got to love him! And you've got to love KP, who launches the last ball over long-on for six. "I am now officially and thoroughly excited by this tournament, Lawrence!" exclaims Lynn Bashforth.

7th over: England 66-3 (Pietersen 27, Collingwood 4) The Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya comes into the attack. He's the hardest man in Stick Cricket to get hold of, but England might fancy their chances here. Collingwood takes a single first ball, before KP whips him riskily towards midwicket for another single.

8th over: England 75-3 (Pietersen 34, Collingwood 6) Tatenda Taibu, better known as a wicket-keeper, gets a chance with his medium-pacers, and Pietersen is denied a cover-driven four by a great dive from Keith Dabengwa near the fence. Hungover? I don't think so. Zimbabwe are well and truly up for this. KP then gets hit on the inside of the knee as Taibu goes up for lbw, and hobbles around like a drama queen. Hell, it doesn't stop him sweeping Taibu's last delivery from outside off-stump to fine leg for four. What a shot! This is a decent start in terms of runs, but a perilous one in terms of wickets.

9th over: England 82-3 (Pietersen 37, Collingwood 10) Utseya isn't being taken to the cleaners, but England milk him well enough in that over for seven runs. They should be aiming for 180 now. "Yes, there are upsets, but what's the bet some clever statto pointed out to the organisers of this little contest, that to introduce even the smallest element of a 'round robin' into the equation would REALLY stuff it up for the bookies?" asks Sarah Bacon. "There's no telling what'll happen now."

10th over: England 93-3 (Pietersen 45, Collingwood 13) Pietersen creams Taibu over long-on for the third six of the innings - and he didn't even quite get hold of it! Collingwood is content to give KP the strike, like the selfless captain he is, and England are starting to pull away. An effortless 11 off the over. "This is an outrage!" says Ian Taylor, who I suspect isn't really outraged at all. "I'm all for this pyjama cricket malarkey, Twenty20's been great. But I fear too much change too fast. I mean, you can't start a match at 1pm, that's when lunch should be taken. Rules is rules."

11th over: England 101-3 (Pietersen 49, Collingwood 15) Dabengwa enters the attack with his jaunty left-arm spin, but Pietersen sweeps his third ball for four. Dabengwa is going over the wicket, but KP isn't in the mood to be silenced and he even tries a reverse-sweep next ball for good measure. He misses and has to make do with a very unPietersenesque leg-bye. A wide brings up the 100 and Zimbabwe have surrendered their early initiative. "Surely we engineer a loss to the Zims and then stuff it to the Aussies, thereby consigning them to the ignominy of going home early and probably the public flogging of Ricky Ponting on Sydney Harbour Bridge," scoffs Ben Waterhouse. "It's a watertight plan. With our players, what could possibly go wrong?"

12th over: England 113-3 (Pietersen 50, Collingwood 26) Back comes Brent, and Collingwood greets him with a cheery pull over square-leg for six. If England make 180-plus here it's hard to see how Zimbabwe can make it two shocks out of two. Pietersen chases a wide one, and there's a noise: Brent goes up for caught-behind, but Ian Howell says no. And there's his fifty, off 27 balls, with a push to long-on for a single. As if to celebrate, Collingwood sweeps the final ball for four.

13th over: England 135-3 (Pietersen 72, Collingwood 26) Shades of Edgbaston 2006 as Pietersen unveils his left-handed sweep (it's not a reverse-sweep: he changes hands) and picks up six over point off Dabengwa. Muttiah Muralitharan knows how he feels. He then replays the shot next ball, this time picking up four, and then - amazing, this - he does it AGAIN. Four more! It's demoralising enough bowling to him as a right-hander, but he's just as destructive as a leftie. Sensational. He then plays a (right-handed) drive to long-on for two, before mowing poor old Dabengwa over midwicket for the second six of the over. A dot ball (yes, a dot ball) follows, but that's 22 off the over.

14th over: England 145-3 (Pietersen 73, Collingwood 35) Now Collingwood joins in, heaving the new bowler Chamu Chibhaba over midwicket for six. Zimbabwe are taking a right royal pummelling here, which makes Australia's efforts look all the more mystifying. It should be quite a game tomorrow. Ten off the over: six to go. Two-hundred is well within range. "What is Ian Taylor talking about, lunch should be at 1pm?" rages Neil Toolan. "It's not the county championship and Pro 40 games are starting at 12-45pm. Personally I quite like the idea of starting a game at lunch time, its a good excuse to get out of the office for an hour or so and have a pint."

WICKET! Pietersen c Masakadza b Utseya 79 (151-4) The left-handed mow finally gets the better of KP as he picks out deep square-leg. Still 79 off 37 balls ain't bad. John Kirby wants a slapping. "I'm sitting here waiting for all the usual awful OBO puns on players' names," he quips. "Did you have them all in the Australia match or are they taibu?"

15th over: England 153-4 (Collingwood 35, Flintoff 1) Oddly, Flintoff comes in ahead of Mascarenhas, and manages a single off his first two balls. Five sixes, anyone?

WICKET! Collingwood run out 36 (154-5) Careless by England as Collingwood chances his arm to deep backward point going for a second and is beaten by inches.

16th over: England 159-5 (Flintoff 3, Shah 2) Pietersen and Collingwood, incidentally, added exactly 100 in exactly nine overs. Reasonable, I suppose. Ian Chappell thinks England already have enough runs, and that wide from Chibhabha helps them. But the demise of KP has taken some of the sting out of the game. It was pure electricity while he was out there. Just six off the over, which ends with Owais Shah defending a slower ball.

17th over: England 164-5 (Flintoff 6, Shah 4) Utseya begins his last over and Flintoff can only take a single off his first two balls. Why no Mascarenhas? This is sheer stubbornness by England: Flintoff is the senior player, therefore he goes in above Mascarenhas. Dear oh dear. Just five off the over, including Freddie being dropped at extra cover off the last ball.

WICKET! Flintoff b Chibhabha 13 (172-6) The ball after finally connecting with one (six over long-on) Flintoff tries something murderous and clips the ball onto his stumps. The end of a poor innings and one that wasted potential crease-time for Mascarenhas. That did not reflect well on the England think-tank.

WICKET! Shah c b Chigumbura 11 (178-7) Now it's Shah's turn to get out the ball after hitting a six, skewing one to third man.

WICKET! Mascarenhas c Masakadza b Chigumbura 0 (178-8) Chigumbura is on a hat-trick for the second time in the innings as Mascarenhas picks out deep extra cover with his first ball.

19th over: England 179-8 (Schofield 1, Broad 0) England have made a mess of this, although I still think they've got enough. The cause of their mini-downfall was the pig-headed decision to bat an out-of-form Fred at No6. Just seven off the over.

WICKET! Broad run out 1 186-9 Broad appears to get stuck in mud returning for a second and is run out from deep extra. Tsk. "Surely the point was to give Freddie time at the crease after the game was already pretty safely wrapped up," says Sam Jordison, tempting fate and counting his chickens in the space of a few words. "So he can get his eye in for pelting the Aussies all over the ground... Who needs 30 from 5 balls when Zimbabwe are only going to make 120. Or am I being abusrdly over-optimistic?"

20th over: England 188-9 (Schofield 9, Anderson 0) Chris Schofield scampers two off the last ball, but England have managed only 35 off the last five overs. Without that hundred stand between KP and Colly, they might now be struggling. As it is, I expect England to win this. And, with run-rate possibly coming into the equation in Group B, they could do with a decent win too. Join me in 20 minutes for the Zimbabwe reply.

Fred A few of you have written in to echo the point made by Sam Jordison: namely, that it was worth giving Flintoff some batting practice ahead of tomorrow's match against Australia. It's not the worst argument I've heard, but I don't honestly think a few biffs against Zimbabwe is going to help him sort out Brett Lee and Stuart Clark. The fact is he's out of form as a batsman, so why don't England just accept that for the time being and relegate him to No8. I'm sure Australia would hate to see him batting so low. It might also mean that Dimitri Mascarenhas doesn't have to throw away his wicket for 0 because Flintoff has taken 13 to hit 13 scratchy runs when England should have been scoring twice as quickly. Amen.

1st over: Zimbabwe 6-0 (Sibanda 6, Taylor 0) Stuart Broad will open the bowling and England will know from yesterday that these two can do some damage. Vusi Sibanda thrashed 23 off 15 deliveries and I liked the look of him. He leaves Broad's first two balls alone, then pulls his third for two to open Zimbabwe's account. The last ball of a very good first over is miscued over Flintoff's head at slip for four. They need to score at 9.5 an over to qualify for the next phase. I think they'll do well to get within 25 of England.

2nd over: Zimbabwe 22-0 (Sibanda 11, Taylor 11) Others are writing in to defend Fred, but consider this: if England win today and lose tomorrow, this group will be decided on run-rate. It's all very well talking about playing Freddie back into form, or deriding Mascarenhas's five sixes as a one-off (Wayne Trotman, you know who you are), but surely the need here was to crush Zimbabwe as comprehensively as possible. Or am I getting all unEnglish about this? And while I squabble with myself, Sibanda cuts Jimmy Anderson's third ball into the ground and over point for four, before Brendan Taylor, slayer of Australia, hammers him over backward point for six. And there's four more - a glorious on-drive.

3rd over: Zimbabwe 32-0 (Sibanda 16, Taylor 12) What a great start by Zimbabwe as Sibanda collects four leg-byes off Broad to fine-leg. Realistically, these two are going to have to get off to a flyer: they are Zimbabwe's two hitters, so 10 an over for the first six would at least pave the way for the middle-order to play without an excessive amount of pressure. And there's four more as Sibanda helps Broad over midwicket. Stunning!

4th over: Zimbabwe 33-0 (Sibanda 16, Taylor 13) Enter Andrew Flintoff to - as England hope - put a stop to the nonsense. Taylor can do nothing with the first three deliveries, before dropping the fourth into the off-side and stealing a quick single. Sibanda aims to pull but the ball is on him too quickly and this is an outstanding over after Anderson went for 16. One off it. Now that's why he's in the team. "If England win by a big enough run-rate today then they can afford to lose against the Aussies so there won't be any need for Flintoff to be in form," says Rafe Martyn. "Hence the priority should have been to score more runs - not to give Flintoff batting practice."

5th over: Zimbabwe 47-0 (Sibanda 21, Taylor 22) Great play from Taylor, who uppercuts Broad's first delivery to wide third man for four, then leans back to dab him virtually over the keeper's head for four more. Very cute, but too short from Broad. Fred has a word and the next ball is pitched up: Taylor inside-edges a scratchy single. No matter: the next ball is leg-stumpish, and Sibanda whips him over midwicket for another boundary. Zimbabwe are playing superbly. "Surely part of the skill of Twenty20 captaincy is flexibility in the batting line-up?" says Nath Jones. "For example, if we had a terrible start tomorrow and were 4 down after 10 overs, bring in Shah at 6, whereas if we've only got a couple of overs left when we lose the fourth wicket, Mascarenhas comes in at 6. My (albeit long and rambling) point is that I wouldn't have set-in-stone numbers 6, 7 or 8, regardless of whether Freddie's playing or not." Couldn't agree more.

6th over: Zimbabwe 57-0 (Sibanda 26, Taylor 27) There's the 50 stand as Taylor times a low full-toss from Flintoff back down the ground for four. They could really do this! And there's four more as Sibanda goes on the pull. Goodness me. "Flintoff has spent all summer being litle more than a liability as a batsman in all forms of the game, for Lancashire as well as England," says Richard Marsden. "To expect him to be able to click into 2005 mode on the back of a couple of lusty blows against Zimbabwe is naïve at best. He cannot bat at number 6 if we are to do well in this tournament. And the most depressing thing is he shouldn't have to. Fred may still see himself as a batsman who bowls a bit, but I very much doubt anyone else on the planet does."

7th over: Zimbabwe 62-0 (Sibanda 27, Taylor 31) On comes Mascarenhas and England desperately need a wicket. The good news is that the field can now spread. The bad news is that Zimbabwe need 127 off 78 balls with all 10 wickets in hand. "Aren't you essentially just flipping from expecting Flintoff to recreate his feats from 2005 every time to expecting Mascheranas to smack everyone round the ground after one freak knock?" says Craig Easterbrook. "Surely there's half a chance Dimi getting out without scoring wasn't entirely due to Flintoff being above him in the order?" Well, I think I'm playing the percentages: who is more likely to score more runs more quickly? An out-of-form Flintoff who has never rediscovered the form of 2005 or an in-form Mascarenhas? I would argue that part of the reason Dimi thrashed his first ball to deep extra was because Fred's innings had put pressure on everyone else.

8th over: Zimbabwe 67-0 (Sibanda 29, Taylor 34) It's Chris Schofield! Who would have thought this when he was struggling to take a wicket against Zimbabwe in 2000? He begins tidily enough, conceding only five singles, and then looks as if he's going to be hit for six. But Anderson catches it, loses his balance, and lets go of the ball just before he topples over the boundary. One run only: that's world-class fielding, but it could still be Australia v England to avoid the wooden spoon.

WICKET! Sibanda c Maddy b Mascarenhas 29 (74-1) Taylor pulls Mascarenhas for six, then cuts a single, but when Sibanda tries something equally destructive, he can only pop a pull shot up in the air. Maddy is waiting at cover and England have a bit of breathing space.

10th over: Zimbabwe 80-1 (Taylor 45, Taibu 2) need 109 Schofield continues and Taylor and Taibu trade two singles apiece. And then Prior misses a toughish stumping chance as Taylor gives himself room outside leg and misses. Five off the over - good stuff. "It's wonderful to see the strategy of this game evolving so quickly," enthuses Matthew Bell. "Was that not the absolutely ideal, perfect first six overs from the Z-men? Can't imagine anyone exploiting fast bowling and fielding restrictions better."

11th over: Zimbabwe 82-2 (Taylor 46, Chibhabha 1) need 107 It could all come down to Taylor, just as it did against Australia. But Mascarenhas is bowling straight and skidding it on: just two off the over and a wicket. England are clawing their way back into the game.

12th over: Zimbabwe 84-2 (Taylor 47, Chibhabha 2) need 105 Great stuff from Schofield, who is keeping the batsmen guessing by varying his pace and changing his angle. Two off the over and the runs have dried up completely. "Lawrence, you seem to be on the back foot on the Freddy versus Dimi debate," says Wayne Trotman. "Now it's Freddy who caused Dimi's downfall, is it? Did you not also say an hour ago that England had about 25 more than needed against this, erm, shower. I'm hoping, in a bizarre way, for a Zimbabwe victory followed by our boys thrashing the Aussies tomorrow night. They (or we) might then meet the West Indies at the airport, where they can no doubt exchange small talk on what it feels like to be a national disgrace."

WICKET! Taylor b Mascarenhas 47 (84-3) Is that the match-winner? Mascarenhas sends down a slower one and Taylor can't resist a heave across the line. He misses and the ball crashes into the stumps.

13th over: Zimbabwe 87-3 (Chibhabha 3, Matsikenyeri 2) need 102 The last few overs have transformed the match. Taylor couldn't get the strike, Schofield was giving nothing away and Mascarnenhas has nagged brilliantly. And - my God - Pietersen has just dropped an absolute sitter at mid-off after Chibhabha hit one up in the air. They pinch an overthrow too. That was the worst drop I have ever seen. And then Mascarenhas thinks he has Chibhabha caught behind, but the umpire says no. Utter chaos. How DID KP drop that?

WICKET! Matsikenyeri c Flintoff b Schofield 2 (87-4) Flintoff shows KP how it should be done, clinging on with ease at deep extra cover as Stuart Matsikenyeri gives Schofield the charge. That's his first international wicket ever! And hasn't he bowled well?

WICKET! Chibhabha c and b Schofield 5 (89-5) Zimbabwe are falling apart now and they have succumbed to pressure. Chibhabha tries to work Schofield to leg and gets a leading edge. Simple.

15th over: Zimbabwe 96-5 (Chigumbura 1, Masakadza 6) need 93 Back comes Anderson after Schofield and Mascarenhas took 5 for 33 between them in eight overs. A lack of pace wins the day yet again and Zimbabwe need a miracle now. It might even be worth Paul Collingwood giving himself a go. "Pace is a liability in Twenty20 game," says Gary Naylor. "Schofield and Snape for Aus."

WICKET! Chigumbura c Wright b Collingwood 8 (104-6) Collingwood does indeed give himself a bowl, and - after suffering the indignity of being straight back over his head for six - persuades Elton Chigumbura to pull straight to Luke Wright at deep square-leg.

17th over: Zimbabwe 116-6 (Masakadza 18, Utseya 1) need 73 Masakadza is alive to the run-rate possibilities and pulls Anderson's first ball majestically for four. He then cuts the second ball for two and off-drives the third for a single.

18th over: Zimbabwe 128-6 (Masakadza 21, Utseya 9) need 61 Collingwood drops a caught-and-bowled chance. At midwicket. Masakadza got so far under it that Colly had time to run to the edge of the square, where he put it down. To be fair, it was over his shoulder, but you'd still have expected someone of his calibre to pocket the catch. Prosper Utseya glances the next ball for four but England will be very happy with this after Zimbabwe raced to 74 without loss in the eighth over.

19th over: Zimbabwe 135-6 (Masakadza 23, Utseya 14) need 54 Back comes Freddie, who is not the man you want to see charging in when you need 30.5 an over. Or indeed three an over. He's fast and full and all the Zimbabweans can do is drive him down the ground. Seven off the over.

20th over: Zimbabwe 138-7: England win by 50 runs England will take that. At 74 for none, the Zims were dreaming of a second successive shock. But Mascarenhas and Schofield took the pace off the ball (please don't write in to point out that this is a physical impossibility) and from nowhere England took 5 for 15. After that, it was all about the run-rate. At some point tomorrow, some boffin will tell you by how many runs Australia will need to beat England to qualify for the next phase. It will need to be by a big margin to deny England, and by a smaller margin to deny Zimbabwe. Thanks very much for all your emails. To borrow from a friend, it's been very.